THE Green Party is bringing its biggest gun to a by-election battle in Leominster.

Party leader Natalie Bennett visits the town tomorrow (Tues) to rally local activists looking to take Herefordshire Council’s Leominster South seat.

The outcome of Thursday’s by-election is crucial to the council’s future.

With two of the current 58 seats vacant, the Tory group continues in control as a minority against the combined opposition vote.

If the Tories lose the by-elections in Leominster South and Ledbury, the council is tied at 29-29.

In Leominster, the Greens want to translate their presence on the town council to a second Herefordshire Council seat.

Natalie Bennett will be briefed on the issues the Greens are fighting the by-election on, including plans for 1,500 new homes - - part of a 2,300 home expansion – and the potential for increased traffic congestion.

She will also be shown around Leominster town centre where the Greens say shops are under threat from superstore plans and the community co-operative solar power project at the new Leominster primary school.

Five candidates are fighting the by-election triggered by the death of Tory councillor Roger Hunt after a long illness.
They are:

Jenny Bartlett (Green)

Emma Pardoe (Labour)

Angela Pendleton (Independent)

Liz Portman-Lewis (UKIP)

Wayne Rosser (Conservative)

Voting takes place between 7am and 10pm at the Royal British Legion, South Street, Leominster,  and Ivington Village Hall.

The current make-up of Herefordshire Council is:

• Conservative - 27

Herefordshire Independents - 14

• It's Our County! - 12

• Liberal Democrats - 3

• Vacant - 2